FAMOUS GHOSTS OF YORK
York’s living population share the city with the dead – in fact the city of York is one huge burial ground spanning 2,000 years of history and rarely does any road excavation take place without unearthing human bones from one era or another.
With over 500 phantoms roaming the town centre and its environs it’s not surprising that York has the reputation of being the most haunted city in Europe.
LEGLESS ROMANS
Perhaps the most celebrated sightings of York’s ghouls ever to take place occurred in 1953 in the cellar of the 17th century Treasurer’s House.
A 17-year-old plumber, Harry Martindale, was working in the cellar when he heard a distant trumpet blast and was only able to watch in terrified disbelief as a horse carrying a rider emerged through the wall followed by a dejected band of what appeared to be Roman soldiers, legless below the knees, who moved across the cellar and disappeared at the other side.On recounting the tale to historians however, Harry’s detailed description of the men’s uniforms did not tally with existing evidence of Roman costumes.
Only later was it discovered that an auxiliary troops wearing similar uniforms and carrying identical shields had been stationed in York at the end of the Roman Empire. As for the lack of legs, archaeologists revealed that a Roman road lay about a foot beneath the cellar floor.
If the phantom soldiers had been marching along this road, their legs would have been only visible from the knee down.
THE GREY LADY
Perhaps the most ubiquitous ghost in York is the restless spirit of The Grey Lady, a robed figure who has been spotted on numerous occasions around Petergate Bar and often inside the Theatre Royal.
Legend has it that she was a nun who was bricked up in a cellar by religious authorities after becoming pregnant by a townsman.
Others say that she had a vision of an angel and was expelled from her order to later die of a broken heart.
GHOSTLY DEAN GALE
The best known ghost of York Minster is the gentle spirit of Dean Gale, who was responsible for the upkeep of the cathedral in the late 16th century and was known for his devotion to duty and religion, attending services regularly and always occupying the same pew.
On his death in 1702 and after he was laid to rest, a minister was rendered trembling and incoherent during a sermon when he saw Dean in his customary pew below.
Ever since then the devout spectre has been spotted from time to time, listening intently to services.
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